Cue the latest right wing outrage that these hypocrites never seemed to have had back when their hero George W. Bush was in office. Here we go again with vacation-gate redux like the one we saw back in 2010, when the wingnuts were screaming about first lady Michelle Obama and their trip to Spain.

Conservative media are pushing the falsehoods that taxpayers picked up the tab for Michelle Obama's private vacation expenses in Spain and that 40 friends accompanied her and her daughter Sasha on the trip. In fact, the Obamas were accompanied by two of the first lady's friends and three of their daughters, and all of them, including the Obamas, reportedly paid for their own personal and travel expenses.

Go read the rest for the full list of talking heads that were screeching like banshees at the time.

In Greta Van Susteren’s Off the Record commentary tonight, she took on the First Family for setting a poor example.

After a two-week vacation, the White House sent out a press release saying that First Lady Michelle Obama will be staying in Hawaii.

The total cost of sending Air Force One to pick up Mrs. Obama and bring her back to D.C.: an estimated $800,000.

It is reportedly part of her birthday gift from the president. But as Greta noted, it’s the American taxpayers who are footing that bill. “It’s lavish. Is that a good message to send to Americans right now? I think not.”

I guess Van Susteren thinks the first lady should be flying coach. I want to know if any of these wingers ever complained about the costs when George W. Bush was in office if any of his family members dared to travel without him. I'm guessing the answer is never. I also think Van Susteran has been spending a little too much time around Sarah Palin, because her commentary above sounds like something the word-salad queen could have written for her.

President Obama‘s and First Lady Michelle Obama‘s vacations have long been a topic of particular fascination for some media outlets, and a detail about their latest hiatus came up at the end of Monday’s White House daily briefing. As White House Press Secretary Jay Carney tried to scoot off to a 2 pm meeting with the President and his advisers, Fox News Chief White House Correspondent Ed Henry cut in to ask Carney if the President would be paying for Mrs. Obama’s flight home, since her extended vacation is an early birthday present.

“The First Lady stayed behind in Hawaii, and the White House said that was an early birthday present from the President. Does that mean he’s paying for the flight back, or are the taxpayers paying for it?” Henry asked.

“As with all personal travel, the first family will appropriately fund personal expenses, Ed, and in line with past presidents and first ladies,” Carney responded, adding “The First Lady will travel via government aircraft, but you are accurate in your description that this was a, her decision to remain in Hawaii, the President’s suggestion that she remain in Hawaii to spend time with friends ahead of this very big birthday, if you have kids, you know that telling your spouse they can spend a week away from home is a big present. Not that we don’t love our kids.”

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